Factors Determining Low Income Households’ Connection to New Piped Water Services in Maili Saba, Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Traditionally, most poor urban households have relied on highly priced water provided by vendors and on scanty public taps/kiosks connected to utility network. In recent times, water utilities have come to the realization that poor people can be connected to networked services and become valuable customers. However, the challenge remains that low income consumers do not respond to traditional utility customer acquisition models premised on intrinsic demand in areas with new networked water supply. This study based on hypothetical factors and reliant on proof of cross-sectional survey and detailed qualitative analysis, generates understanding on how individual, household, community and policy characteristics determine whether or not, a poor household connects to new or intensified utility water network. It identifies the criticality of factors, both inhibiting and influencing the decision and the ability of a household to connect. Gender, education and marital status are of no significant influence, while household income, rent paid, housing type and home ownership status are an indicator whether there is likely to be a connection or not. It further confirms that perceptions of connection cost, inability to save for and pay upfront deposits, and lack of awareness on connection process are key target community aspects for influencing demand for water connections. Additionally, reliability of service, consistent meter reading and billing, and response to customer complaints are critical to low income consumers, as much as it is to those who can easily afford. Overall, the findings unearth key learnings for the sector that poor households can connect to a networked water service within a reasonable level of effort, and provide the confidence required for investment planning for water and sewerage infrastructure network in low income urban neighbourhoods.